Asarina plant named ‘Sunasashiro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Asarina  plant named ‘Sunasashiro’, characterized by its trialing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION: ASARINA HYBRID.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunasashiro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asarina,botanically known as Asarina hybrid and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Sunasashiro’.

The new Asarina is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new Asarina cultivars with attractive foliage andflower coloration.

The new Asarina originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventors in May, 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Asarina hybrid identified as code number 3Asa-1, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofAsarina hybrid identified as code number 2022-S, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Asarina was discovered and selected bythe Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Asarina by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since 2004, has shownthat the unique features of this new Asarina are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunasashiro has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunasashiro’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunasashiro’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofAsarina:

-   -   1. Trialing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. White-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Asarina can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Asarina differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Asarina have shorter internodes than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Asarina are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Asarina can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Asarina differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Asarina have white-colored flowers whereas        plants of the male parent selection have red purple-colored        flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new Asarina and the male parent selection        differ in flower form as plants of the male parent selection        have flowers with a closed throat.

Plants of the new Asarina can also be compared to plants of the cultivarSun-Asaro, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,532. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newAsarina and the cultivar Sun-Asaro differed in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Asarina had longer stems and internodes        than plants of the cultivar Sun-Asaro.    -   2. Plants of the new Asarina had smaller and less pubescent        leaves than plants of the cultivar Sun-Asaro.    -   3. Plants of the new Asarina had smaller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Sun-Asaro.    -   4. Plants of the new Asarina and the cultivar Sun-Asaro differed        in flower color as plants of the male parent selection had red        purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Asarina, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Asarina.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a top perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunasashiro’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flower and leaves of ‘Sunasashiro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, undercommercial practice during the summer in an outdoor nursery daytemperatures averaging 23° C. and night temperatures averaging 16° C.Plants had been growing for about four months when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Asarina hybrid cultivar Sunasashiro.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Asarina            hybrid identified as code number 3Asa-1, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Asarina            hybrid identified as code number 2022-S, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at temperatures of            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; pale brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Trailing plant habit. Freely            branching with about lateral branches potentially developing            at every node. Vigorous growth habit.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 76 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Aspect.—Trailing.        -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 5 cm.        -   Width.—About 6.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 144B.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,            145B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 146B;            venation, 145B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single bilabiate flowers            arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with            numerous flowers developing per plant. Flowers face mostly            outwardly. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Asarina initiate            and develop flowers about four weeks after planting. Long            flowering period; flowering commences naturally during the            summer and plants flower continuously until late autumn in            Japan. Individual flowers last about one week on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.1 cm by 3.3 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 6 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 5 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Globose, elongated. Length: About 5.3 cm.            Diameter: About 1.6 cm. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Bilabiate with a two-lobed upper lip            and three-lobed lower lip. Length, upper lip: About 1.1 cm.            Length, lower lip: About 1.1 cm to 1.2 cm. Width, upper lip:            About 1.4 cm. Width, lower lip: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Shape,            upper lip: Two-lobed; apex, rounded. Shape, lower lip:            Three-lobed; apex, rounded. Margin, upper and lower lips:            Entire, undulate. Texture, upper and lower lips: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower lips: When opening, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 149D. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 155C. Color, throat: Close to 149D.            Color, tube: Close to 149D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Cup-shaped calyx with five sepals. Sepal            length: About 2.5 cm. Sepal width: About 1.1 cm. Sepal            shape: Ovate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal base: Obtuse. Sepal            margin: Entire. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four per flower.            Stamen length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 3 mm by 2.5 mm. Anther            color: Close to 155B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 155B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 4.5 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma            shape: Elliptic. Stigma color: Close to 145B. Ovary color:            Close to 145C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Asarina.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Asarina have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Asarina have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Asarina.

1. A new and distinct Asarina plant named ‘Sunasashiro’ as illustratedand described.